Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of local and other places/activities for your family to enjoy this summer.

Summer is the time to take a vacation from work or encourage the kids to get off the couch for a day or two. If the family is still in need of a few new ideas or just need to be reminded of some of Virginia’s classics, here are a few family friendly travel ideas for this upcoming week.

Annette Carter believes that Alzheimer’s doesn’t get the attention it should.

She notes that there are all sorts of activities around to raise awareness about cancer, but little about Alzheimer’s. Not that she begrudges the attention that cancer gets, but she would like to see more done to raise awareness about the devastating brain disease known as Alzheimer’s.

Changes are being made to the city Municipal Building as city officials install an accessibility ramp, along with rails and an automatic door for easier access for the public.
“It’s an improvement on access abilities,” said Charles Kolakowski, Bedford’s city manager. “It should be very helpful for people that have difficulty with stairs.”

Central Virginia Community College (CVCC) got a new face in workforce development this year.

Dr. Ruth Z. Hendrick came on board in February as vice president for workforce development and continuing education. Her job is to work with companies to provide the worker training that they need. In this role, she will work with both existing businesses as well as new businesses that come into the area. She also looks for grants to pay for this.

George Allen made a stop in Bedford, Friday, during a campaign tour. Allen is seeking the Republican nomination to run for Senate this fall. The nomination will be decided in a primary scheduled for June 12.

Allen stopped by several Bridge Street businesses talking with owners before holding a small rally in a hallway in the County Administration Building. One stop was Frederic’s Flowers, where Allen asked owner Ricky Wilkerson what could be done to help small businesses.

Close to 50 people turned out for a presentation on establishing an Artisan Trail in the Bedford area.
“Bedford is ready for this,” said Brigitte Peterson, who introduced the program. Peterson works for Bedford County.
“I am the procurement department,” she said when asked what her job is. “Right now I am trying to procure an Artisan Trail.”

The phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” is truly being taken to heart by some environmentally conscious students in Bedford County.
Huddleston Elementary School, which has partnered with the New Jersey-based company TerraCycle, has been recognized by the organization for the effectiveness of its recycling initiatives.

Last Tuesday, Bedford County Circuit Court Judge James Updike handed down a sentence on two counts of DUI maiming to 42-year-old Elizabeth Doris Coe.
She received two years in prison with five years suspended for each of the two counts of DUI maiming, and 12 months in prison and a $1,000 fine for one count of DUI, totaling 11 years suspended after five years served.